Senate Panel Passes NAHB-Backed Forestry Bill

The Senate, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee today advanced the Fix Our Forest Act, NAHB-supported legislation that will contribute to better forest management practices, help strengthen the nation’s housing supply chain and promote affordable housing opportunities for all Americans.

The Fix Our Forests Act will help improve the U.S. forest management system by expediting environmental reviews and ending frivolous litigation that often grinds needed forest management projects to a halt.

Legal obstacles, as well as administrative barriers, have contributed to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management’s inability to effectively manage their lands. Consequently, overgrown and poorly managed forests have dramatically increased the risk of catastrophic wildfire across the country, which are extremely destructive to Americans living in fire-prone areas as well as to the forest ecosystem.

Better forest management has positive ecological benefits along with the economic benefit of increasing the supply of federal timber products. Despite America’s vast timber resources, the United States does not produce sufficient lumber to meet the housing industry’s demand, requiring costly imports.

Lumber and wood products are a major cost driver — accounting for approximately 15% of the cost of construction for a single-family house — in housing affordability. Additional domestic supply can help stabilize what is otherwise a volatile market for wood products and give builders greater price stability.

The House passed its own version of this legislation in January, and after clearing the Senate committee by an 18-to-5 vote, the Fix Our Forest Act now moves to the full Senate for consideration.